The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) has called on government regulators to put a temporarily halt to the sale of electronic cigarettes to the public pending a proper study and testing of their safety.

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) has called on government regulators to put a temporarily halt to the sale of electronic cigarettes to the public pending a proper study and testing of their safety.

Dr. Ramon Severino of the Philippine Pediatric Society, a PMA specialty, said he believed a formal study of e-cigarettes as an “alternative lifestyle” and its short- and long-term effects must be conducted since there was still no proof they were safe to use.

Severino pointed out the sale of e-cigarettes to the public was allowed without the benefit of a thorough study.

The sale of e-cigarettes is unregulated, making it easy for the youth and even children to buy them, he said.

“We do not know if it can be bad for us, and if they are saying that this is an alternative lifestyle the question is whether it is right for us to teach a new kind of vice to the public, moreover to our children and the youth,” Severino said.

For its part, the Philippine E-Cigarette Association said it was looking at ways to regulate the sale of e-cigarettes to adults only, its target market.

Two months ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to the public about e-cigarettes, saying it could not be considered legitimate therapy for smokers who want to quit and that it could turn children into smokers.

The FDA also stressed that the use of e-cigarettes was contrary to the intent and provisions of the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, which is aimed at protecting the youth from nicotine addiction and chronic respiratory diseases.—Jocelyn R. Uy

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HALT YOUR A S S — dont MIND ecig BISNIS

nick

it’s their business stupid

Jason

There has been plenty of studies showing the effectiveness and safety of the electronic cigarettes. How ever governments will protect that which enriches their coffers, tobacco. Any government that tries to ban ecigs is not looking out for their citizens, in fact they would rather their people die than lose tobacco’s bribes and taxes. It really is quite disgusting. I haven’t had a regular cigarette in 3.5 years and the thought of smoking makes me sick. I have zero symptoms and side effects of smoking. Nicotine consumption in this harmless way neither hurts the user nor any other person, and its cheap. The denials and lies will continue while people will continue to die.

Jack Bw

How about you conduct your study without halting anything? There’s been no halt in the sale of tobacco & cigarettes even though we already know it’s hazardous. So what’s the point in stopping e-cigarettes just because you don’t know if it’s hazardous? What a lame excuse for lobbying in behalf of tobacco companies.

nick

it has not stopped but PMA did lobby for higher sin tax.

Sean Ray Ferrer

Very illogical and lame. Your partiality and bias to something far more worse and obviously dangerous transcends the very essence of the reason why people resort to vaping. Halt the sale of ecigs? What happenned to regulating first through exhaustion of any other remedies like taxing as an implement of the state’s police power, at the very least? People who have gone through smoking recognize the clear benefits of resorting to this alternative.

asin

Docs seek halt to sale of e-cigarettes because they don’t know YET if is harmful or not. Meanwhile the undisputed harmful cigarettes are sold everywhere.

It’s like a mall refusing all customers entry because they might shoplift, meanwhile known ex-cons/robbers are allowed in and have all guards tail over them inside the mall.

FDA you all make the tobacco companies proud. Chaaa-chiiing!!

asin

“The sale of e-cigarettes is unregulated, making it easy for the youth and even children to buy them, he said.”

errr cigarettes/tobaccos are sold in groceries, convenient stores and even by street vendors. I guess the youth will never know where to buy them and we all know street vendors demand an ID before selling cigarettes in the streets. ;-)

Years of education may make you a doctor, unfortunately it doesn’t guarantee common sense.

I am not for smoking but this is a democratic country. If cigarette smokers are given the right to kill themselves, why not e-cigarette smokers as well? Just put out a warning like what cigarette packs have and let the person decide. Cant the Tobacco Industry think of another tactic to maintain their sales? This is so lame. If the PMA really cares about public health, what they should push for is ban on smoking in ALL public places including sidewalks and bus stops which have become smoking areas for smokers now which is not fair for us non-smokers.